There's nothing like staying at a unique, trendy and/or historic property to make any location more memorable. I found all of these things at the Movie Colony Hotel in Palm Springs, California. The property is located in the historic Movie Colony neighborhood, named for the numerous homes of movie stars that used to live here in the 1930's to 1960's. Notable residents included Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Cary Grant, Jack Benny, and Bing Crosby to name a few.
Designed in 1935 by famed modernist architect, Albert Frey, the Movie Colony Hotel is a prime example of Desert Modern architecture. It was one of Frey's first projects, and it only seemed to further fuel his love of the Palm Springs area. Among many other notable buildings, Frey also designed both the Aerial Tramway Station and the Palm Springs City Hall.
The property went on to become a popular hangout for celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. There's even a bit of folklore about Jim Morrison of The Doors leaping off of the balcony of townhouse #29 into the pool here. Today the Movie Colony is a 16 room boutique hotel, and for me, it was my hub for a week during travel shoots for my Roadside California series.
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Architect Albert Frey |
A love the architecture of Palm Springs, California. Many of the mid-century modern structures have been preserved and revitalized here, giving this desert community a distinct look that showcases the optimism and imagination of the 1950's and 1960's.
This collection features some of the shots I took between photographing other notable mid-century modern structures and architecture around Palm Springs, including the Palm Springs City Hall, Ace Hotel, Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Movie Colony Hotel, 7 Springs Inn, and the Tramway Gas Station.